Grading and sacking device



June 5, 1945.

A. ERNST GRADING AND SACKING DEVICE File d Feb. 26, 1943 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVEN'I'QR.

EARL A. ERA/$7 Jufl 5, 1945. ERNST 2,377,619

GRADING AND SACKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7173's INVENTOR. Ell/PL H.'E}?NST\ Patented June 5, 1945 a UNITEDQSTATES PATENT OFFICE H e 2,377, 19 r GRADING AND sAcinNG DEVICE aflyuma, Bakersfield, Oalif. Application February 26, 1943, Serial No. 417,234 eclaims. (o1. 209- 11) This invention is formeans and methods of grading and sacking articles which, may be almost any articles of commerce, but inthis particular case, the articles are vegetablesxandfruits,

and especially potatoes.

The invention includes a washer and a device for holding sacks in open position, and a series of intermediate endless belts to carry the articles from thewasher to the sack holding devices; as well as means for grading thearticles and carrying the low grade articles to, particular sacks.

So far. as known, there are no automaticwashers, graders, and sacking devices, and especially none which are capable of receiving the field vegetables and fruits direct from carts and trucks at one. end ofthe apparatus and delivering the vegetables and fruits to a freight car loading platform at the other end in containers, such as sacks, bags, crates or boxes. I

One of the principal objects of the invention I is to present a single unit apparatus for automatically washing, grading, and sacking articles, an apparatusthat is economical to make and operate, simple injconstruction. and safe for unskilledhands to operate and control Another object is to provide a direct runway for high grade articles with offshoot runways to carry away lower grade articles and sack them.

Other objects, advantagesfand features of, my invention will appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoineddetailed description, the preamble of this specification, and the appended claims.

Applicant is about to illustrateland describe one of theyforms of his invention in order to teach one how to make and use the same, but it is to be understood that the drawings and description thereof are not to limit the invention in any sense whatsoever, except as limited by the appended claims.

In the drawings; i Fig. l is a plan view of the apparatus of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is another vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is still another verticaljsectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig.1.

Fig. 5.is,an elevational view of one side of the apparatus.

Following, is adescription of the invention as employed for washing, grading and sacking potatoes, but the inventionis not limited to hanfit! dling potatoes, for it will become apparent that the same apparatus, as described, can be used for handling other vegetables, as well as fruits and various articles of commerce. v The apparatus, at its feed end has a washerl, the bottom of which is the upper surface of an endless belt 2 that is formed of a reticulated material such as, for instance, a wire mesh. The reticulated material being employed so that water can readily pass therethrough and carry away field dirt from the potatoes. The water is forced onto the potatoes by any suitable overhead spray such as the one designated 3 which is connected to a suitable source of water supply. The washer has sides 4 to prevent lossof potatoes. At each end of the endless belt there is a. roller 5 fixed to a shaft and journalled in the sides 4, one of the rollers having its shaft turned bya'n electric motor 6. .The dirty potatoes are dumped onto this endless belt, washed, and then carried to the endless belt! and dumped onto it. Any suitable structural meansare employed to hold the rolls 5 and sidesl in elevated position, and this is alsothe case in other parts of the apparatus to be explained; since the means of supporting the apparatus forms no part of this invention; it is believed unnecessary to burden this application with needless structural details.

The endless belt 1 is also made of reticulated material, preferably a wire mesh which is linked to the end rollers 8 and 9, the rollers being fixed to theirrespeojtive shafts and journalled in the sides to and II, a frame work which extends a little above the endless belt to prevent lateral spillage of thepotatoes. The motor 6 may be geared tothe roller 8 to turn it in the same direction as roller 5.

The rollers 8 and 9 are of greater diameter than rollers 5 so as to provide sufilcient space between the horizontal portions of theendless belt 1 to accommodate a cross directed endless belt I2 having sides l3 and I4. These sides are cut to receive the inclined floors l5 and lBwhich 3 are supported by the sides It) and H and. extend size small enough to pass through these perfora-v tions will fall onto the belt [2 and carried along as No. 13 size whereas the larger potatoes will continue along the main path as size I potatoes. The belt I2 is linked to the end rollers l8 and-l9 which are fixed to shafts journalled in thefsides l3 and I4. The roller l8 may be turned by gears connected with the motor 6, or have its individual motor 20.

The size I potatoes will roll from the belt 1 onto a long grading table belt 2| which is linked to the end rollers 22 and 23, these rollers having shafts journalled in the side walls 24 and 25 which extend the length of the belt 2| and are continuous except for cut-out portions to be explained later. The rollers 22 and 23 are of large diameter v in order to space the upper and lower horizontal portions 26 and 21 thereof far enough apart to. make the lower portion, 21 usable as a return carrier of potatoes. The inferior potatoes that are taken from the upper belt by the worker, or grader, are placed onto the lower belt' to be oifshot onto either the belt 28 or belt 29. For convenience in getting the rejected potatoes onto the lower belt portion 21, side pockets 33 and 3| are provided along the greater length of the table. Longitudinal openings 32 and 33 are provided along the sides26 and 25 respectively in registration with their respective pockets; by this construction, rejected potatoes from the top belt portion 26 can easily be shifted to the lower portion 27 via pockets 36, 3! and 31..

Baffle plates, or shearers, 34 and 35 are provided, as shown, between the portions 26 and 27 into the legs of the pipes 56. Hooks 58 are provided on the inner sides of the sack holders for gripping the tops of the sacks; see patent application Serial Number 359,043 filed September 30, 1940, by applicant wherein this feature of supporting the sacks is explained in detail, now Patent #2,288,159, dated June 30, 1942.

The bottoms of the sacks rest upon a jigger platform 59, the ends of the platform being hingedly supported by the links 66 having their tops pivoted to the ends of a bracket 6| that'is screwed to the front wall 45'. The platform is made to jiggle by the electric motor 62 having an eccen- "tric disc 63 fixed to its shaft, the outer edge of of the endless belt 2| for shifting potatoes from 21 to belts 28 and 29. These shearers have their ends attached to the side walls 24 and 25 and have a height almost the distance between the belt portions 26-2l. The graders stand on the raised platforms 36, 31 and 38 and remove all non-grade I potatoes, placing the culls in pockets 3| and the left end ofpocket 3!, Fig. 1, so that they will find their way to belt 26, and placing the No. 2.grade potatoes in pocket 36 and the right side of pocket 3! so that these potatoes will find their way to belt 29. The first grade potatoes continue on belt 2! and roll off the end thereofonto belts 39 and 66. To aid in upper belt portion 26, and also the lower belt portion 21 to maintain a substantially straight and horizontal plane, a plurality of small diameter rollers 4! are provided just under the belts, the ends of the rollers being journalled in the side walls 24 and 25. v

The belts 39 and 40 move in opposite directions, the endless, belt 39 having the end rollers 42 and 43, and the endless belt 90 having similar end rollers, one of which is shown at M. A rear wall 45 prevents potatoes from rolling off the rear portion of the belts 39 and 46. These belts 2|, 39 and 40 may all have their rollers connected to receive their rotary power from a single motor, or each belt may have one-of its rollers connected to an individual electric motor, such as the motors 46, Hand 43 respectively. Wherever motors are employed for turning the rollers, they may be slow speed motors, or high speed motors with necessary reduction gears so that the belts will not travel too fast.

Over the longitudinal edges of the belts 39 and 45 are the pipes or bars 49 and 50 to accommodate the slidable sleeves 5! and .52 of the shiftable obliquely arranged shearers 53 and 54 which are placed having the upper corners thereof attached to their respective sleeves. These shearers are adapted to be moved along the pipes 49 and 56 and, positioned so as to conduct the potatoes moving along the belts into any one of the plurality of sacks or bags 55. These sacks are supported in open position by U-shaped pipes 56 which are screwed to the front wall 45 and also held by the U-shaped pipes '5"! which pipes are of a smaller diameter and the legs 01. which slide the disc being pivoted to one end of a rod 64 and the other end of the rod having a pivoted connection with the top of the standard 65 that "is fixed to the top of the jigger platform 59,

intermediate hinged supports may be provided between the brackets 6| wherever desired to give further strength to the platform; see patent applicationSerial Number 438,705 filed. April 13, 194-2, by applicant for further details as to how the jiggle platform may be constructed and vibrated.

The No. 1B potatoes caught by the belt l2, are carried alon as indicated by the arrow, and dropped onto a wire mesh belt 66 which is linked to the end rollers 61 and 68, these rollersbeing of large enough diameter to provide sufficient space between the top and bottom portions of.

the belt 66 to accommodate a cross belt 69. The rollers 6'! and 68 have their shafts journalled to the side walls '18 and H which have openings therein for the belt 69. Belt .69 has end rollers 12 and 13, the shafts of which are journalled in the side walls '74 and 15. The motor 20 may be gear connected to rollers 61 and 12 to turn them in the required direction or individual slow speed motors l6 and 11 may be coupled to the rollers 68-and 13 respectively. Inclined floors 18 and 79 are provided toguide potatoes falling through the mesh belt 66 onto the belt 69; these floors having their lateral edges fixed to the side walls 10 and H, as shown, the walls 14 and 15 being cut away to allow the potatoes to roll onto the belt 69. This wire mesh belt 66 preferably has its apertures large 'enoughto pass potatoes having a size of one and one half inches across.

The larger potatoes are carried by belt 66 and dropped onto an endless belt 80 which is linked to the end rollers 8i and 82, the rollers having their and 88 each of which have a depending leg fastened to the outer side of the wall 84. ,One end of the partition hasan angle portion 89 and a straight portion 99 that extends over the endless belt 9|. The No. 1B potatoes fall onto the belt 9! from belt 66, and the culls selected by the grader from the main runway' are placed in the trough and. carried by belt 88 onto a special part of belt 9! or into another trough 92 formed by the partition 93 and thus are carried by belt 9| to a shearing space 94., v a

The belt 9! is linked to the end rollers 95 and 96 which have their shafts journalled in the side walls 91 and 98 which run the length of the belt structure from roller. 95.to roller 96. Directly over a portion of the length of the wall 91 is a pipe or rod99 supported by the end fixed. pipe sleeves I66 and ltl that arefattached tostandards that are fixed to the upper part of side wall 91. Another similar pipe or rod I62 is fixed point to the first directly above the side wall 98 and supported by the fixed end pipe sleeves IE3 and IM which are supported by standards attached to the upper portion of side Wall 98. These pipes 99 and I02 are spaced high enough over the top surface of,

tion. by the same means which were described for supporting the sacks 55.

The potatoes carried by the belt I59, classed as culls, fall therefrom onto the top of the endless belt 28; this belt being linkedto the end rollers I and I96, their shafts being journalled in the side walls I01 and I08. The potatoes (culls) from belt 28 fall onto belt 9| in that portion 94 which receives the culls from belt 80.. I

The No. 2 potatoesfrom the lower portion of belt 2I (mainbelt) are sheared into the belt 29; this belt being linked to the end rollers I09 and I III, the shafts of these rollers being journalled in the side walls III and H2. The culls from belt 29 are cast into a trough H3 formed by the partition II4 which is spacedslightly above-the belt 29 by the angle irons I I5 which are similar to the angle irons 86, 81 and 88. This partition also has the angle portion H6. The culls. in trough II3 arecarried to the portion 94 of the belt 9 I whereas the No. 2 potatoes are carried to the portion III of the belt 9|. I I

A plurality of shearers I I8, I I9 and IE0 are employed along the top surface of belt 9i and have sleeves 5| and 52, like the shearers 53 and 54, which slide along their respective pipes or rods 99 and I82; the shearer H8, however, having one of its sleeves slide along the pipe 93'. By this arrangement, No. 1B potatoes can be fed into sacks A, B, C, D, all the cullsfed into sacks E,

F, G, H, and No. 2 potatoes fed into sacks I, J, K, L, M and N. Stops may be used on the rods 99 and I02 to limit the movement of the shearers,

but such would, not be generally required.

In accordance with the foregoing, the field potatoes are dumped into the washer and are graded I and sacked ready for shipment to the retail trade,

muchof the work being automatic and efficiently done with a minimum of time and expense.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

positioned to receive articles from the third belt and deliver them to ,the second station, and a fourth endless belt having its ends proximate the second belt and the second station to receive articles from the second belt and deliver them to the second station, said stations each comprising an endlessbelt means having a plurality of frames along the sides thereof for holding sacks.

2. The gradingdevice recitedin claim 1 wherein a portion of the carrier belt means has perforations of predetermined size, and a fifth end- I less belt leading from beneath a portion of the perforated part of the carrier belt means to the fourth belt for delivery of articles thereto that have passed through the perforations of the carrier belt means, and shearers above the endless belts of the stations adapted to direct articles therefrom into sacks supported by the frames.

3. The grading device recited in claim 1 wherein another endless belt extending from a central portion of the second belt to the second station is provided with a trough along one longitudinal edge thereof to deliver articles at a locus at the second station at a different portion thereof than delivered by the main portion of said another belt, there being perforations in a portion of the carrier belt means, and afifth endless belt leading from beneath a portion of the perforated part of the carrier belt means to the fourth belt for delivery of articles thereto that have passed through perforations of the carrier belt means.

4, The grading device recited in claim 1 wherein the second belt has upper and lower runs materially spaced apart, pocket means along the sides of this belt having communication with the top of the lower run thereof,and shearer means I over the lower run to direct articles therefrom onto the fourth belt. I

, 5. The device recited in claim 1 wherein the first station comprises a pair of endless belts end to end with their top surfaces moving in opposite directions, a platform under the frames there- 1. In a grading device for separating variously sized articles, a plurality of article receiving stations spaced from one another, an endless belt means, one of the stations being designated a first station and the other station a second staline series of endless belts leading from a starting station and a plurality of lateral endlessbelts leading from the starting point to the second station, the main line belts comprising a first belt having perforations of predetermined size and positioned-to receive articles from a source of supply, and a second beltpositioned to receive articles from the first belt and deliver them to the first station; a third endless belt beneath a portion of the first belt adapted to receive articles passed through the perforations of the firstbelt, a carrier belt means having its ends tion, said endless belt means comprising a main I of, and. vibrating means at the longitudinal central locus thereof for shaking same.

6. In a grading device for sizing articles, a general distributing point at one portion of the device, aplurality of spaced apart articlereceiving stations spaced from said point, and a main line endless belt means connecting the point with I a first station and a lateral endless belt means,

connecting the point with a second station, the main line belt means comprising a first belt hav-. ing perforations of predetermined size and positioned to receive articles from the distributing point, and a second beltpositioned to receive articles from the first belt and deliver them to the first station; a third endless belt beneath a portion of the first belt adapted to receive articles passed through the perforations of the first belt, a carrier belt means havingits ends positioned to receive articles from the third belt and deliver them to the second station, and a fourth endless belt having its ends proximate the second belt I and the second station to receive articles from the second belt and deliver them to the second station, each of said stations including an endless belt means having a plurality of sack holding means along the sides thereof.

I I EARL A. ERNST. 

